With significant cuts to the numbers of military posts in recent years, there are large numbers of ex-service personnel now entering the job market. In the UK, current projections suggest that over 20,000 individuals leave the armed forces every year, with the latest employment forecasts predicting that construction will need to find almost 224,000 new recruits by 2019.

Management skills will be some of the most sought after in the sector. Almost 17,000 managers are expected to be needed over the next four years as growth continues in the sector. The CIOB’s Chartered Construction Manager designation also signals the influence that professional construction managers have within, and beyond, the built environment.

Bridget Bartlett, deputy chief executive at the CIOB, said: “Men and women who have served in the military often possess excellent leadership, team working, project management and problem solving skills, all of which are highly sought after in the construction industry. There are plenty of opportunities for those leaving the armed forces to begin a new career in construction and that is not limited to trade skills but also at the management level.

“A large number of CIOB members are either serving in or have had a background in the military. What is encouraging is to see employers within the industry readily engaging with the armed forces community and we are keen to work with them and the military to increase the accessibility of construction management careers.”

To coincide with Armed Forces Day, the CIOB offers a number of routes, depending on experience and qualifications, to a professional chartered career in construction for those serving or ex-military personnel. Military qualifications such as an HNC in Military Clerk of Works or Design Draftsman Class 1 are recognised by the CIOB for its membership programmes.

Within the construction industry, Persimmon Homes have announced a formal recruitment drive to retrain up to 500 ex-military personnel. Additionally, research by Morgan Sindall suggests that 10 per cent of its employees either have direct or family connections to the military.

For many, leaving a life in the armed forces can be daunting. Schemes such as the Career Transition Partnership (CTP); a joint programme run by the Ministry of Defence and Right Management, provides resettlement services for individuals leaving the armed forces. There are also specialist recruitment organisations, including RFEA - The Forces Employment Charity, which actively connect those leaving the military with job roles in construction.

According to the British Legion, and when striking a national comparison, only 60 per cent of working age ex-service personnel are employed, which contrasts with 73 per cent of the general population.